Yes, we’ve already spoken all about Pete Alonso and we are going to continue to do so until we know if he’ll be back in the orange and blue in 2025. Let’s get to it – should the Mets re-sign the Polar Bear? Here’s what we here at Metsmerized think.
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This postseason saved Pete Alonso’s Mets legacy. Before the homer against Devin Williams to save the season, Alonso had failed expectations in his contract year. After posting a .999 OPS in the postseason, he’s redeemed himself. I think the Mets should re-sign him, but only for the right price. He’s a first baseman who had multiple prolonged slumps this year and is turning 30 in December. I caution against giving him a contract longer than five or six years, but he definitely has some productive years left in him.
The postseason changed everything for Pete Alonso. And for the Mets too. Going into the Playoffs, I could have foreseen a situation where the front office would have been willing to let their slugging first baseman walk. Now, however, I think the Mets should make it an absolute priority to re-sign Alonso, in addition to making a major run at Juan Soto. Yes, Alonso wasn’t the same player in 2024. He struggled to take games over, he didn’t come up with clutch hits and he was real bad with RISP. But, he was able to flip the script when it mattered the most and he played a major role in the Mets getting as far as the NLCS. Plus, you know what you are getting with Alonso. He knows how to play in New York. He has made it clear over and over again that he wants to be a Met. That stuff is important. Only Aaron Judge has more home runs (232) than Alonso (226) since 2019, and Alonso showed in the postseason that he can still provide a big bat in the middle of the lineup. Yes, the backend of the contract may age badly but, for the first few years at least, you will be getting a slugger who has proven time and time again that he can deliver in the cauldron of New York. If you let Alonso walk, you are opening up another hole on the roster. Yes, Mark Vientos could slide over to first, but who is then playing at third? It makes all the sense in the world to bring back Alonso, especially given how much he means to the franchise.
I’m personally a fan of bringing him back. Right from his rookie season, he established himself as a franchise icon and cornerstone. His reputation had definitely reached a low before the home run against the Brewers, although I thought it was somewhat unfairly, considering he still had a fine (although slightly underwhelming) offensive season in 2024.
Bringing Alonso back would definitely raise the question of where Vientos would play, but Vientos also hasn’t (yet) proven himself as consistent or reliable year-to-year as Alonso has. I say, cross that bridge when you come to it (perhaps one of them ends up DHing, or Vientos cleans up his third base defense a little bit and winds up sticking there). I think Alonso is and should be an important part of this team to keep intact.
I won’t lie. At one point in time, I was beginning to waver on Pete. It seemed as if he was really pressing plus his dip in production along with some choice words in regards to certain things about said production and contract was beginning to put me against bringing him back.
The postseason changed that. Alonso answered the ball and proved to us that he can produce when we needed him the most. Keeping him as a Met would go a long way in building something sustainable in the clubhouse and on the field where the team can keep their own stars, which shows a sense of loyalty for production. Additionally, the fan base loves him and it seems like that love is reciprocated by Pete. It also wouldn’t be a good look to let one of your franchises all time home run hitters walk away for nothing.
Bring him back. Why not?
Another vote to save the Polar Bear, but be wary. He turns 30 in December and the history of sluggers post-30 is ugly. It was sobering to look through a list of 10 batters who Baseball Reference rates similar to him through age 29. Glenn Davis played his last game at 32, Richie Sexson at 33, Chris Davis and Cecil Fielder at 34.
But one advantage to having the game’s richest owner in a sport without a salary cap is you can gamble on a homegrown star. It will be fun to see him chase Darryl Strawberry’s franchise home run record. He needs 27 to break it. If he does it at home, the apple will rise, a Strawberry will move down the list and Mr. Met could greet him at home plate with a playoff pumpkin.
This one is pretty simple for me. Pete Alonso should be a Met for life. Yes, I understand there are some concerns with giving a long-term contract to a power-hitting first baseman who will turn 30 in December. That being said, power-hitting first basemen don’t grow on trees. It won’t be as simple as it seems to replace his production. Plus you add in what he means to the fanbase and the city as a whole. After what he did in the postseason, this question is quite easy for me. Yes, the Mets should re-sign Alonso and make him a Met for life.
I said it during his slump and again during his postseason tear — Pete Alonso must be a Met for life. He etched himself into the history books during his rookie year, shattering Met and MLB records. He can continue to break more records, particularly the Mets home run record, which he will easily do if he resigns. Alonso has the opportunity to join Mets royalty, entering an elite company of Ron Hodges, Ed Kranepool, and David Wright, players who spent their entire careers in Queens and made a profound impact.
While stats are key, the impact on the fanbase can arguably be as valuable. Alonso brings a vibrancy and spirit to the game that is hard to find and plays with his heart on his sleeve every day. He’s not just a teammate or player on a roster; he’s a community member, marking his impact in New York with his various charities.
I was torn on Pete Alonso the whole season. He put up respectable numbers, but it was a down season for the first baseman and it seemed like the numbers came when the game wasn’t on the line. However, Alonso quickly reminded us in the playoffs the value of his bat and his love for the organization.
It’s not fair for me to speculate on whether or not his struggles were due to his impending free agency. But I will say that Alonso is a drafted and developed All-Star by the Mets. He’s on track to hit 500 home runs, which would place him in the Hall of Fame and place him as the best bat the Mets have had in franchise history. It’s hard to find those guys — especially ones who want to be in Queens. I say bring him back.
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